Glass gob feeding device

Abstract

A feeding device has the object to ensure the supply of a continuously flowing glass strand and to divide it into predetermined gobs thus establishing the weight of the individual gob and thereafter to proceed with the final sectioning. It is known to activate the drives of the moving mechanical parts of such a feeding device by compressed air. Because of the compressibility of the air, and depending, among others, on the length of the piping, its clear cross section and the prevailing air pressure, an accurate control is not possible, especially when the masses to be moved are large. In order to avoid these disadvantages, the invention makes use of hydraulic piston units for the drive of the translatory movement of the stopper and of the pipe and the use of a hydraulic rotary piston for the rotational movement of the cutting device. The turning movement of the pipe is achieved through a hydraulic rotary piston.

We claim: 
     
       1. A gob-portioning device for a glass forming machine comprising: a dish for receiving molten glass and having a hole at the bottom for discharging a strand thereof;   a stopper vertically displaceable in said dish and positioned above said hole;   a pipe spacedly surrounding said stopper and vertically shiftable in said disc;   a first hydraulically actuatable axial piston unit operatively connected to said stopper for vertically displacing same;   a second hydraulic axial piston unit operatively connected to said pipe for vertically displacing same;   at least one cutting element disposed below said dish and rotatable to cut said gob;   a hydraulic rotary piston unit operatively connected to said cutting element for actuating same;   a hydraulic pump common to all of said units;   respective electrically controlled hydraulic valves between said pump and each of said units for selective energization to control the production of a gob of glass; and   a computer-processor connected to said valves for controlling the actuation thereof in response to physical and chemical constants of the glass fed to said dish.   
     
     
       2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said pipe is rotatable.